Push comes to shove as more states mount pressure on the U.S. Department of Education to allow waivers of spring 2021 standardized exam requirements. Parents, teachers, education administrators, school board members and community leaders need to keep the heat on their elected representatives to suspend both federal and state mandated tests for at least another year. No test score is worth risking a single human life in the midst of a pandemic.
National U.S. Ed. Sec. Nominee Wavers on School Testing Waivers
https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/3/22264304/cardona-education-secretary-confirmation-testing-covid
National Ed School Deans Call for Suspension of 2021 Standardized Exams
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7RCJSsC1bQunrWFzz1_M0cSXwH2ejcp-fgHglDGGajj2x6g/viewform
California The Mad Test Obsession
https://dianeravitch.net/2021/02/07/a-teacher-in-california-the-madness-of-test-obsession/
Colorado Educators Call for Suspension of Spring 2021 State Tests, Cite Parental Support in Opinion Poll
https://kdvr.com/news/local/live-colorado-educational-experts-discuss-postponing-standardized-testing-at-11-a-m/
Florida Parents Press for Testing Waiver
https://mycbs4.com/news/local/plea-to-wave-standardized-testing-in-2021
Florida Legislators Back One-Year Suspension of State Test Consequences
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/fl-ne-standardized-tests-covid-legislators-20210202-22kfa3qvazbcroptaebfea2kdy-story.html
Illinois State Will Advocate for Spring 2021 Testing Waiver
https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/isbe-to-apply-for-waiver-for-spring-2021-assessments-if-available/
Illinois Majority of School Superintendents Favor State Exam Suspension
https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/5/22268993/majority-of-illinois-school-superintendents-sign-letter-against-spring-testing
Indiana Parents Frustrated by Requirements for In-Person Academic Testing
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/some-parents-frustrated-by-in-person-ilearn,-iread-testing-requirement.php
Indiana Superintendents Say State Standardized Exams Will Serve Little Purpose
https://www.pharostribune.com/indiana/news/article_e3936488-d9a3-5f29-9dbb-48460a6ac934.html
Maine Without Waiver, State Will Switch to Fourth Different Standardized Test in a Decade
https://bangordailynews.com/2021/02/02/news/maine-schools-will-switch-to-4th-standardized-test-in-less-than-10-years/
Massachusetts Students Need More Compassion, Assurance, Support Instead of State MCAS Test
https://www.dotnews.com/2021/heres-different-kind-mcas-more-compassion-assurance-support
Michigan Federal Test Waiver Could Stall Third Grade Reading Promotion Law
https://www.crossville-chronicle.com/news/tennessee_news/federal-testing-waiver-could-stall-3rd-grade-reading-law/article_ae21f012-1a92-5936-9c94-b74c9177a57f.html
New Jersey Advocacy Group Urges Governor to Seek Testing Waiver
https://www.reporterherald.com/2021/02/03/thompson-school-board-supports-canceling-state-tests-due-to-pandemic/
New Jersey For the Sake of Students, Cancel Standardized Exams
https://www.insidernj.com/for-the-sake-of-students-cancel-the-standardized-tests/
South Carolina Using Reading Test for Grade Retention: Recycling a Bad Idea
https://radicalscholarship.wordpress.com/2021/02/02/the-state-sc-read-to-succeed-bill-would-fail-reading-again-in-south-carolina/
Texas Is Commitment to In-Person Academic Testing Linked to Lucrative Student Assessment Contracts?
https://www.reformaustin.org/education/in-person-testing-for-students-tied-to-lucrative-contracts/
Texas Bill Filed to Cancel State Test for This Year
https://kfoxtv.com/news/back-to-school/bill-filed-to-cancel-staar-test
International United Kingdom Assessment System Contributes to Mental Health Problems
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/our-assessment-system-contributes-to-poor-mental-health/
Worth Reading The Tests Are Lousy: How Can the Scores Be Meaningful?
https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/tests-are-lousy
Bob Schaeffer, interim Executive Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
office- (239) 395-6773 mobile- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org